Pregnancy & Motherhood Forum

Placenta Previa

Placenta Previa

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 2:10 pm

by k05003272

I was just diagnosed with complete posterior placenta previa @ 20 weeks. I'm looking to hear of anyone's experiences with this, whether good or bad. I've googled everything and most of what I've read is horror stories. I'm just hoping there is a chance it will move. Both of my other two births were natural vaginal deliveries with textbook pregnancies. I've not had any bleeding this pregnancy so far. And OB did not put me on any type of restrictions because of that.

Re: Placenta Previa

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:45 pm

by jade2009

This is my 2nd time having it.. the 1st time i had it i had an unexperienced dr that performed the csetion and i was very sick afterwords... i am at a much bigger hospital now and have a very good dr that has experience with them but i have also been warned that i may end up with a hysterectomy in this one because i also have another condition caused by my scar tissue called arreta.. with the bleeding my dr figures the uterus may have to come out. Was very depressed to hear but if it saves me i am all for it.. rather be safe than sorry.. my dr is deliverimg me at 35 weeks so my son will be here on april 4th via csection. I will keep ya posted how it all goes.. i am a bundle of nerves as it is getting closer. Its not fun stuff to have.... good luck... i will check back. I was also diagnosed around the 20 week mark with the previa.. i always prayed i would never get it again but didnt get so lucky.. i had 2 Other children in between the last one and never had it but this was a bad draw of the luck i guess.. ps i also wanted to add i have never had no bleeding of any kind either. Not even spotting

Re: Placenta Previa

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 1:51 am

by PixieB

I had partial previa with my firstborn. The placenta was 12mm OS at the 20w u/s so not actually touching the cervix but not safe for a natural birth.

Try not to give up yet. My own story didn't go so well (bleeds from 24 weeks, total bedrest at 27 weeks after a bad bleed with fortnightly u/s. First of those u/s at 27+4 showed she was 2-3 weeks undersized and she was born via caesarean that night) but every story is different, every body is different, every pregnancy and every birth is different.

Picture your uterus as a balloon. Get a permanent marker and put a dot near where the bulb shape meets the bit you blow into. That’s where your placenta has implanted.Start blowing into the balloon, the dot doesn’t ‘move’ much. The main bulb of the balloon is like the upper uterine segment of your uterus. In the first half to 2/3 of pregnancy, most of the stretching of your uterus comes from the upper uterine segment.In the last half, particularly the last trimester, most of the stretching comes from the lower uterine segment. This is like when you over-inflate the balloon and you get that secondary bulge at the bottom. When that lower uterine segment stretches, the spot where your placenta implanted appears to move up, because more of the uterine ‘skin’ below it stretches to make room for baby.

95% of cases of placenta previa diagnosed at 12 weeks self resolve by full term.

It’s lower if diagnosed at the 20w u/s, but you’ve still got plenty of time, especially given how the uterus stretches after 20w.

“During second trimester ultrasounds, done in some places on a routine basis, will show that there are many more previas diagnosed at this stage. Typically at 16 weeks the placenta takes up 25-50% of the surface area. Also the third trimester brings a growth of this lower uterine segment, that out flanks the growth of the placenta. For these reasons, while 5% of pregnancies are diagnosed with complete previa in second trimester ultrasounds will see 90% of them resolved by term and while 45% of pregnancies are diagnosed with marginal previas will see 95% resolved at term. A follow up ultrasound will be done, and as noted above the vast majority of previas are not seen.”http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/placentap ... previa.htm

My midwife had a mama diagnosed with complete previa at the 20w u/s. No bleeds, and they decided to just wait and see. A follow up u/s at 34 or 36 weeks showed the placenta had 'moved' completely up and out of the way and she was able to have a natural birth.

Try to take it a little easy. It's probably best to aim for pelvic rest as much as you can, and I hope you never get a bleed. Bleeds don't have to be drastic, but they can be scary and add to complications. It may be worth researching ways you can 'own' a c-birth if it becomes necessary, things like walking to the OR rather than being wheeled there.

Re: Placenta Previa

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 3:31 pm

by k05003272

Thanks you guys, Pixie I remember you! Violet is around the same age as DS and I remember reading your stories back then. That is also a name we are considering if this LO is a girl.

Thank you for the encouragement! It's starting to sink in and I think no matter what I'm just going to have to accept that if a C-birth is the best option then so be it, I just want my baby here safely.

On a related note, all of this has me thinking that *just in case* I am to be put on bed rest later on, I need to get the nursery done now. It's put a little motivation in me to get it done sooner rather than later. It's cant hurt, and it certainly will take my mind away from anything negative.

I really appreciate yall chiming in!

Re: Placenta Previa

Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 8:48 pm

by PixieB

More than having the nursery ready, I'd like to suggest having your hospital bag ready asap. If you get a sudden bleed and they decide your baby is best off on the outside, it can all happen very suddenly.

It's good to see that you're at 27 weeks now. As far as prems are concerned that's pretty cruisy. I hope you can get through your pregnancy bleed free. And good luck with pulling things together. Getting the nursery ready is nice, but seriously take it easy on the heavy lifting if you can.

Re: Placenta Previa (UPDATE!)

Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 2:22 pm

by k05003272

UPDATE:

I had my 29 week scan yesterday and my placenta has migrated to 2.5 cm away from my cervix!! And baby is already head down, which I know can change, but still, that is good. My OB has given me the go ahead for a vaginal delivery. I am SO relieved.

Re: Placenta Previa (UPDATE!)

Posted: Tue May 28, 2013 9:34 pm

by jade2009

k05003272 wrote:UPDATE:Congrats... i am so happy to hear this... i had an awful time with my previa but mine just wouldnt move or decrease.. i had a healthy 6ld 4oz boy born at 34 weeks 5days.. he spent 2 weeks in nicu learning to eat but other than that he was healthy.. i ended up losing my uterus but i am alive n my son is here n healthy... i aldo had the accreta so that made matters worse on top of the previa, but i am thankful n just want ya to know i will be thinking of you n will be checking back for updates...

I had my 29 week scan yesterday and my placenta has migrated to 2.5 cm away from my cervix!! And baby is already head down, which I know can change, but still, that is good. My OB has given me the go ahead for a vaginal delivery. I am SO relieved.